


The Day Before They Came

by leaper182



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies)
Genre: F/M, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Original Character(s), Original Female Character - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-03
Updated: 2016-04-03
Packaged: 2018-05-30 20:35:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6439540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leaper182/pseuds/leaper182
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bifur can't shake the feeling he needs to stay home. His wife tries her best to reassure him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Day Before They Came

**Author's Note:**

> At HobbitCon 2016, William Kircher said his headcanon is that when Bifur got the axe in his forehead, he lost his family and had been left for dead himself.
> 
> Unbeta'd, sorry. Written during the HobbitCon dance party on Saturday.

The last log split with a satisfying think, though Bifur was quite happy to be finished with the work. He gathered up the wood in his arms and went inside, dumping it in the wood bin in the kitchen. As he righted himself, he dusted off his hands and watched his wife, hard at work butchering the boar he'd caught for tonight's stew.

After forty years together, Brigitte was still the most beautiful dwarrowdam he'd ever seen. Her green eyes sparkled like emeralds as she pulled the muscle from the leg bone and dropped it in the stew pot. The flecks of blood spattering her cheek stood out even against her ruddy skin. Her fall of dark brown braids whispered as she looked over her shoulder. "Bifur?"

Bifur couldn't stop himself from closing the distance between them and kissing her cheek.

Brigitte's smile was deeply satisfied, though when she spoke, she sounded curious. "Is that the last of it?"

Bifur heard the question she was really asking. _Are you all right?_ He was about to reassure her when he heard a piercing shriek.

His blood turned to ice. Belfur was still outside, playing in the leaves--

Then he saw the tree branches swaying outside the window, followed by another shriek.

_It's just the wind,_ he told himself silently, shivering with relief. He sighed heavily. _Just the wind._

Brigitte turned in his arms, looking worried. "Not that I mind being adored, but you're not usually so affectionate when Belfur can see us."

"It's nothing," he murmured.

Her eyes narrowed for a moment before she relaxed. "We'll be _fine_ , azyungel. How many times have you made the run to the northern range with your cousins?"

Ordinarily, her guess would be right -- Bifur hated leaving his wife and son for the seven months it took to travel to Ered Luin's northern range, sell their newest batch of toys, and return home. Bofur liked to joke that Bifur was still on his honeymoon, but at least Bombur was usually able to shut him up.

When Bifur didn't immediately try to reassure her, Brigitte frowned. "Bifur?"

Bifur shook his head. "I'm not worried about the run, amrâlimê." It sounded like a lie even to him.

"Then what is it?" She nudged at Bifur's shoulder, and Bifur obligingly stepped back. Brigitte pointed at her collection of spices. "Now that you're finished chopping those branches down, we have plenty of wood for the winter. Belfur can check the traps while you're gone, so we won't starve--"

"I've been hearing an orc patrol for the past few nights," Bifur cut in firmly. When Brigitte turned to look at him directly, he plucked a few spices from the spice rack and added, "I think they might be getting closer."

" That's been the wild howling. Can't you see the branches?" Brigitte said, nodding to the trees swaying in the wind. She cleared her throat and eyed the spices in his hand.

Bifur sighed, shaking the spices into the stew pot and stirring it slowly. "Brigitte--"

" We'll be _fine_ ," she murmured, turning her attention back to the pork. "No orc this side of the Misty Mountains would dare cross _my_ threshold."

Bifur watched her, taking in her smirk, her sparkling eyes like emeralds, and felt absolutely terrified for her. Still, when his wife insisted on anything, Mahal himself wouldn't dare contradict her. He tapped her shoulder gently.

"Hmm?" She turned to him with raised eyebrows.

Bifur carefully tapped his forehead against hers. "I hope you're right."


End file.
